Why

Community & Creativity

All learners need

innovation & inspiration

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The Need

Students are dropping out of school at an unimaginably high rate. An estimated 2 million students attend a high school where fewer than 50% will graduate. These have become known as “dropout factories” (Balfanz, 2010). The main reason seems to be that the content taught in schools is not meaningful to students, so they become bored and disengaged. There is also a disconnect between the current school curriculum and the skills needed in the 21st century, such as habit of mind, critical and creative thinking, dealing with ambiguity and complexity, integration of multiple skill sets, and ability to perform cross-disciplinary work. Many leaders are now worried that our nation is losing its edge in creativity and innovation (President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, 2011).

It is a fundamental human truth that

inspiration leads to change.

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We must approach these issues and problems with innovative means. A simple approach isn’t enough. According to Amabile (1996), intrinsic motivation built upon one’s interest, sense of ownership, and sense of being heard leads to great motivation. Those motivated by enjoyment and passion tend to be more creative than those driven by money, praise, or grades. What we do at Million Little is bridge the “disconnect” for children, adults, and learners of all ages through experiential processes that individualize and personalize so that meaning-making can occur. We bring meaning and imagination back into the lives of not only the learners but also educational systems.

Million Little wants to bring back those who have left, to enrich and empower all in ways that bring back joy to learning, imagination and meaning through CREATIVITY.